It finally happened. I was working in the kitchen one afternoon making lunch for everyone with Emily when I felt a strange popping feeling in my stomach. I looked down at it, frowning. Emily looked up.

"Everything ok?"

"I…something popped."

"Popped?"

I nodded and waved my hand in a big circle over my belly. "Here."

"Maybe you're in labor?"

I blinked. "Maybe." I felt a warm trickle down the insides of my legs. We both studied it for a moment and she nodded.

"Definitely in labor."

There was a flurry of excitement after that. Leah stepped up and took over as medic. She hadn't had to deliver any babies as a medic in the army but having had her own, she felt reasonably sure she knew what to do. Every other woman on the island seemed to have ideas, too.

"She needs to walk around to help the baby shift," Rosalie insisted. "That's what I did with mine and it worked wonders."

"No, no, no, she needs to just lie down. She'll be fine if she lies down."

"Well, whatever she does before, she should be sitting up for the delivery."

"Sitting up? Are you out of your mind? You always give birth on your back!"

I closed my eyes as another contraction hit me, knocking the wind out of me. It was hard enough doing this in the first place, doing it with a million people telling me a million different things to do wasn't helping.

"Enough!" I shouted, my voice shaking. "Just…fucking let me do this however I want."

There was a stunned silence. A moment later Jared banged into the great room.

"We've got company."

We all turned to look at him, startled.

"They're back?" breathed Rosalie, stepping forward.

He shook his head. "No. Zeds. They've figured out how to get across the water."

"What? How? They're blind." I could hear the panic in my voice.

"We don't know. It's not like they're exactly forthcoming with the information. All I know is they're coming. They're on their way up the path. We can keep them at the bottleneck and shoot them like fish in a barrel, but there's no guarantee that we'll get all of them."

My heart was hammering in my chest. For a brief, fleeting moment, I wished I'd gone on the boat with Edward. "So…what do we do? We need to arm ourselves. Barricade ourselves upstairs since there's no way we've got time to board up all the windows."

"You need to calm down, B," Emily said sternly. "This stress isn't good for the baby."

"Fuck the baby!" I shouted frustratedly. "If we don't do something, there won't be a baby."

"She's right," said Sue brusquely. "We need to get upstairs and barricade the steps so they can't get to us. Girls, you work on getting anything and everything we might need or want up there with us. I'd say even bring the chickens in. We can put them in the attic."

The younger girls took off, Rachel and Rebecca heading towards the bunkhouse to get the birds while Rosalie, Sally, and Claire headed towards the kitchen. Sue waved Leah and Emily over and they took me upstairs to my room. I could hear people moving around downstairs and instead of climbing into the bed like they wanted, I instead walked over to the window and peered out. I could see the path the zeds would be coming up in a moment. I could see the men running down it, armed to the hilt with rifles and baseball bats and the rest of the ammunition we had. There were also bows and arrows, though Seth was the only one who was any good with them.

"I appreciate your help, I really do," I started softly "but I think your talents are probably better used down there, fighting."

"B, we don't mind…"

"I know, and I love you for that, but from what I understand, this is going to be pretty simple." I turned to face them. "I push, it comes out, someone catches it and cleans it up some, cuts the cord…you need to go fight so that I can have a chance to do all that, so that maybe he or she can have a chance at a life out there somewhere, someday."

They nodded and Leah pulled me into a tight hug. "You are gonna be a great mom, B."

"Bella," I said softly, pulling back and smiling at her. "My name is Bella."

We could already hear the not so distant rapport of the rifles. "Go, they need you. I'll be fine."

They nodded and hugged me again before hurrying out the door. Sue came in then, smiling at me.

"This is going to hurt like hell, sweetheart, but it'll be worth it in the end."

I managed a sobbing laugh and nodded.

She helped me into the bed and we could hear scraping furniture in the hallway as dressers and nightstands were shoved down the stairs, creating a blockade for us at the foot of them. The children were being kept in a room upstairs, away from my cries of pain and away from the shouting outside. I strained my neck, anxious to see what was going on. Sue smiled and gently pushed me back into place.

My anxiety and fears were pushed to the side, though, as the pains intensified. I could hear the shouting from afar still. It didn't seem to be getting any closer, thank god, but I was still scared. We all were.

It felt like days but was probably in actuality only an hour or so before the baby finally slithered out of me and into Sue's waiting hands. It cried lustily and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's ok?"

"Yes. He's perfect."

"He?"

She nodded, beaming at me as she carefully handed me the messy wriggling screaming bundle. I looked down at him in amazement. He was beautiful. Ten toes, ten fingers, two perfect ears and a perfect little penis. I wiped some of the gunk on him away with my palm, smiling at him while my heart broke that his father wasn't here.

I groaned as I felt another contraction. "What's going on?"

"Looks like twins," Sue laughed breathlessly. "Ready to push again?"

"More? There's more inside of me?"

She nodded, laughing again.

"Fuck…it's a good thing Edward isn't here or I'd castrate him." I groaned again as she took my son from me and laid him gently in the orange crate cradle Harry had finished before he died. I propped myself up on my elbows, straining to look out the window. "Before we do this, tell me what's going on."

She nodded and moved to the window, pulling the curtains aside. "I don't see anything."

"That's good," I panted, relaxing back on the bed. "Means the zeds haven't broken through."

She nodded and turned back to me. A few minutes later, a baby girl was squalling alongside her brother in the cradle.

"That's it, right?" I groaned tiredly.

Sue laughed softly and nodded. "Just the afterbirth now."

I nodded and held up my hand, my wrist limp. "Easy peesy."

She chuckled. She wrapped up the afterbirth once it was delivered and ducked out of the room, leaving me to rest and snuggle my children.

Twins. I could fucking kill Edward for that.

I was on the verge of drifting off to sleep when I heard crashing downstairs. I carefully crawled out of bed, settling the babies in the middle of it and walking out the door.

"They've got to the house," Esme whispered. "They snuck around the men and they're downstairs."

I could hear them now, their soft melodic voices drifting up from the first floor.

"We can smell you, you know. The new ones smell the best. Fresh, juicy, plump."

I scowled. That was my children they were talking about. "Give me a bat."

"B, you just gave birth not an hour ago. You need to rest."

I glared at Rosalie. "Would you shut the fuck up already? Stop telling me what to do."

She blinked. "You could hurt yourself."

"I said: Give. Me. A bat."

Her lips pursed but she nodded, handing me an aluminum baseball bat. I hefted it for a second, getting used to the weight. I hadn't held a bat in a while.

"If I don't make it back, the boy is Aron and the girl is Abra. Aron with one A."

"Twins?"

I nodded and took a couple of steps, each one sending a dull throbbing ache through my body. I stopped and took a deep breath.

"And tell them I loved them."

The women nodded again, watching me anxiously. I started down the hallway towards the back stairs. The door opened into the pantry so it was rarely used and hadn't been as well barricaded. I moved carefully, hoping the old stairs wouldn't creak under my weight and give me away. I had nothing on my side but the element of surprise and I really needed it right now.

I quietly pulled open the door, peeking out carefully. I could see straight through the open pantry door into the Great Room. There were two zeds, both groping around blindly, knocking into the furniture and walls. They'd overturned several things, the floor littered with books and broken plates and glass. As fumbling as they were, though, they were following their noses and they were getting closer to the main stairs. Closer to my children.

Both of them were male, or at least I thought they were. They were wearing ragged clothing that probably hadn't been very whole to begin with and now, after who knew how long they'd been zeds, it was difficult to determine the original color or style. They were both wet, showing they'd probably swum here or at least swum to shore from a boat out in the bay. I watched as their fingers scrabbled along the walls, looking for doors or the absence of wall that would signify the stairs.

I tugged uselessly on my oversized t-shirt, suddenly wishing I'd thought to grab some panties before running off to save the world. I felt incredibly exposed, still bleeding a bit and half naked. I'd definitely attract their attention as soon as they realized I was closer. I was a little surprised they hadn't noticed yet, but I figured that lack of attention to detail was because I'd essentially run the length of the upstairs and they were attempting to follow the trail of scent.

I grimaced silently as I crawled over the dresser that had been shoved up against the doorway, swinging my legs around and dropping with a light thud onto the floor. This finally caught their attention and they turned, sniffing at the air.

"Ooo, you smell divine. Fresh and juicy."

"I hear that a lot," I panted, holding the bat up and circling. My head was swimming with pain and exhaustion but I pushed it all back and focused on the adrenalin that was starting to kick in. I twisted my hands on the bat. Choking up, wasn't that was Dad called it?

My eyes widened when I saw that Rebecca and Lizbet were crowded under the table, Rebecca's hand firmly over Lizbet's mouth to keep her from making a noise. I shook my head at them and motioned for them to stay where they were. Rebecca nodded, her eyes wide and her face pale.

I circled away from the girls, moving towards the doorway. "You know what I've got upstairs? Two infants. Not one, two. One for each of you."

"Infants…I haven't had one of those yet."

"I know. Not a lot of babies born the last few years. And I've got two."

Just like I hoped, they were following me. My heart was pounding and I felt like I was going to pass out from anxiety and blood loss and exhaustion. I could feel blood lightly trickling down my legs and dripping onto my feet. Now I was wishing for shoes

"I've also got huge breasts. Pregnancy does that, you know? Shame you can't see them to appreciate them because I tell you what, they are fantastic."

They were picking up their pace now and I swallowed hard, terrified they'd get the drop on me and rush me. I could take on one at a time, but not two. I didn't think.

"You know," one was saying "two babies is too much work for one woman. We'd be happy to take them off your hands for you."

"And large breasts frequently cause back pain for women. We could take those off your hands for you, too," the other one smiled…or attempted to anyway. The way the torn lips pulled back against the bloody teeth with what looked like muscle tissue caught between them made my stomach turn a little. Now would not be a good time to vomit.

"You're so considerate," I said sarcastically. Just like the internet, zeds didn't process sarcasm.

"We do try." The grimace/smiles widened and I had to look away or throw up.

They moved closer still. I stopped, my back up against the front door they'd missed. Instead, they'd smashed through one of the large picture windows, leaving broken glass all over the floor and letting in the frosty February air. I winced as my feet were cut by the glass. Another horrible excuse for a smile spread across their faces as the scent of more blood reached them.

I reached behind me and carefully opened the door, stepping backwards out onto the porch. They seemed to think I was going to get away and rushed then. I jumped out of the way, swinging the bat and miraculously colliding with the first one's skull. It exploded like a rotten melon and he slumped to the floor. I didn't have time to wipe the gore off of my face before the second one leaped forward, tackling me to the floor.

I screamed and lost my grip on the bat. It was like the bathroom all over again except this time, Edward wasn't around to save me. I scrabbled out from under him before he had a chance to bite me and hurriedly crawled across the porch, ignoring the screaming pains now shooting through my body. This may kill me, but at least I'd go out fighting.

The zed grabbed my ankle and yanked it, making me lose my balance and hit the floor with a thud. My head hit the edge of one of the rockers and I saw stars and felt a warm trickle. It couldn't be good to be bleeding this much for anyone. I shook my head and kicked at the zed, connecting with his forehead. My heel sunk in, the skull the texture of wet cardboard or damp drywall. I swallowed back bile as I shook my foot free and stood up, looking around wildly for the bat. I saw it sticking out of the snow at the foot of the stairs. I nearly tripped over myself in my eagerness to get to it but I caught myself on the railing and grabbed the bat, returning to the porch and pounding the zed's skull into a fine paste. I then proceeded to do the same with the other. I could hear shouts from the path, closer now. My head hurt, my feet hurt, and my body was screaming at me to rest but my adrenaline was pumping and my mind was racing.

I ran out into the snow, not even really thinking anymore. I saw a zed coming towards me and I took a stance, taking him out as he passed me. I smelled like them now, they wouldn't notice me.

"B, what the fuck are you doing out here?" I heard a voice shout. "You're not wearing any clothes!"

"Some got into the house," I shouted back, swinging and taking out another one. "I got them, though."

I could see the men now, armed with bats now and covered in zed.

"How many were there?" I panted, hobbling over to a tree and leaning against it, wincing with every step.

"A dozen or so."

"I've given birth to twins and killed four, what the fuck have you been doing?"

Tyler grinned and shook his head. "Apparently we're not as kick ass as you are, B."

I nodded, the world fading to tunnel vision. "No shit." Then everything went black.

***

Tali: So, this is probably my favorite chapter. Once I started expanding the story from the first six chapters, I knew I wanted to write B being a total badass and showing that living on the island for over a year and being pregnant wasn't going to make her go soft. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

no.1twilightluver: I am SO sorry for the spoiler this morning! I was trying to figure out a response that wouldn't give lots away and apparently...I suck. Hopefully you've started breathing again and this chapter didn't disappoint in any way. ;-I